Letter Bee

Welp. Guess I'm Here Now. Hi.

@LimeTime966, nice profile picture/avatar!

Do play with us on the Casual Section some time; I myself am running a game!

Noble Arms - The ASEAN War, Second Thread

Mission Four - Knives in Phnom Penh

The Skies above Phnom Penh - 11/11/2022 06:45 UTC+7, which is 7:45, UTC+8

Mei Yuanyuan had left the Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center, keeping her promise to leave Cristina and her friends alone. But that did not mean that she would not walk out of the building and conjure up her Noble Arm, the flying Sloop-of-War that was, despite her being against Noble Arms, her pride and joy. One day, when Noble Arms was not even a memory, she'd make enough money to construct one of her own, purely for vanity reasons.

But for now, the floating ship rose to the air, where the Cambodian Air Force was scrambling to control the airspace above Phnom Penh, their loyalties uncertain as they faced the most fearsome asset that ASEAN had in their arsenal - Lotus Squadron, Vietnam's best pilots in their best warplanes. To tell the truth, even she was not sure she could defeat them, or that she wanted to - As a former Disabler, she saw them as everything she wanted to be; proof that Humanity did not need Noble Arms to advance.

Sentimentality won out, and her ship's cannons, which could have fired back with the same potency as a modern anti-aircraft gun, sealed themselves up as the vessel itself turned around, ceremoniously signaling its Captain's decision to leave the battlefield, and doing so as slowly as possible, to signal that said decision was not out of cowardice. She then sent a radio message to everyone with an open channel, saying, "I am Mei Yuanyuan, formerly of the Chinese Foreign Volunteers' Squadron, and although I am an Arms Master, I have come not to fight for China or ASEAN, but rather to announce that the Disablers are reborn again, and have found a way to remove all Noble Arms - And even the memory of them - from existence."

As the Cambodian Air Force realized that they were going to face Lotus Squadron alone, as well as additional planes from the rest of ASEAN, many of them stood down and surrendered; others actively began to defect back to ASEAN's ranks, joining with Lotus Squadron rather than be utterly ravaged by them - The tide had turned.

Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center, The City of Phnom Penh - 11/11/2022 06:50 UTC+7, which is 7:50, UTC+8

Myron, Berto, and Cristina had finally joined up with Marta, Henri, Aoi (and maybe Nico), and the Cambodian ASEAN Loyalists. Upon not seeing Noel, Myron grits his teeth and speaks, "I see that Yulian got here before us."

Turning to Marta, Myron spoke to her, Henri, and Aoi, "You three; you're still combat-effective, right? Same for Volunteer Nico Makri? If so, the Philippine Civilian Diplomats are being evacuated to the Thai Embassy, but we need to take stock of what we have right now - The People's Republic of China has denied involvement in this and is saying they won't help the Cambodian Government if we try and 'pacify them'. Why are they saying that? Because they do not think we can do this. Thankfully..."

He then looked at a text message he received, then showed it to everyone else; it said, in English: HELP IS COMING.

Don Muang Royal Air Force Base, Thailand - 11/11/2022 06:45 UTC+7, which is 7:45, UTC+8

ASEAN Forces, including Volunteer Units from the Philippines and America, had been training in the HQ of the Royal Thai Air Force; these included Arms Master Len Vuong, plus a few Filipinos, including Dior de Danggal, who had been specially requested to head to Thailand with some of his best assassins to prove his renewed loyalty to the Government of National Salvation. And of course, there was Airman Mykhailo Martinez, a Non-Arms Master who had come to the base with his KAI T-50 Golden Eagle (the F-50 Variant). They were now in a briefing room where a Female Thai Officer said, in clear and fluent English:

"Volunteers and ASEAN members, we have received bad news: The Cambodian Government, under its Prime Minister and his son, the leader of the Army, have trumped up charges against ASEAN-allied forces to justify a defection to China and an attack on ASEAN assets and ASEAN-loyal units, including those in a Peace Conference. The Chinese Government officially denies involvement, nor has it formally accepted the Cambodian defection. Still, the nation of Laos, once a fellow ASEAN member, has accepted People's Liberation Army troops into its borders and left ASEAN, declaring war on us in coordination with the Myanmar Military Junta and some of Cambodia's border forces."

A pause for her to let this news sink in, before she continued, "This breach of International Law cannot be condoned; you are to go to Phnom Penh with everything we can spare - Combat and Transport Planes and Helicopters. Cambodian Forces loyal to ASEAN are still holding the west of Phnom Penh, but the northern and southern portions of the city have gone all-in on the defection. Not just that, but the Cambodians have brought in Russian and Venezuelan mercenaries they have secretly hired with Chinese money to squash ASEAN-loyal forces in the East of the City. So here are your objectives: Fly to Phnom Penh, reinforce ASEAN and ASEAN-loyal troops, and punish the Cambodian Government for their betrayal - The Cambodian Air Force has defected back to ASEAN rather than face Lotus Squadron."

The Thai Officer then pulled out a map of Phnom Penh, before saying, "The main targets are the Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia's HQ in the south section of the city, as well as the Royal Palace of Cambodia and the National Assembly Building. Do not cause excess collateral damage to the Royal Palace and the National Assembly Building - The Gendarmerie, however, must be made an example of..."

She then faced them and continued, "Any questions? You deploy in five minutes."

@Gerlando@Nimbus@QJT@Amidatelion@Digmata@Chiro@Creative Chaos@4wheathRmany@Urizen

Hello There Mortals

@BloodySweet, welcome!

Noble Arms - The ASEAN War, Second Thread

@aurebesh, personality is too short, bio is too short, and you got some of the formatting wrong on the space above the picture. Can you fix it?

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

@Damo021, wanna join the Discord?

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

@Damo021. greetings! I presume you're part of the Marvel Mini-Community on this site?

Hello RPers!

@Zodiacmoon33, very interesting; welcome!

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

Mykhailo Martinez

Mykhailo nodded to acknowledge Fuka's words but did not say anything more; his speculation was unnecessary and so it was best to know when to shut up - Wait, Boston just said there was an ACWS; that meant people to man it. Of course there'd be friendlies; heck, there were defenses that needed manning...

The prettyboy wryly smiled, hoping the older pilot would catch her mistake after a second's delay; best not to pick a fight with her that he could not afford to win. Instead, he'd let Boston remind her that he had already answered her question about friendlies as well in his upcoming response. Honestly, this PMC was a breath of fresh air; Circus was a class clown who was nevertheless competent, Boston and Jane were a no-nonsense couple whose ability to explain things plainly and simply was endearing, and Scott was the perfect commanding officer for his temperament. Fuka, meanwhile, had valid points but he was not going to pick a fight with her for reasons he did not have to explain.

Ayvee... He liked her dedication to the work of reconnaissance and how she got details he would have otherwise missed - She was easy on the eyes too, but he was not here for that; he was here to get valuable experience in combat and teamwork, and to do that, well, he had to like the other members of the team. Thank God that they were so easy to like because he was going to work for the squadron's prosperity as long as he was there, now.

Bell and Sebastian? Who were they? He didn't know a Bell or Sebastian; they were water off a duck's back - Ignore-able and irrelevant.

He had less than two hours to get ready for deployment; so he should check his tablet for the itinerary and checklist; get a shower, and download an e-book of English-to-Maltese phrases and words. Oh, right, he should also take a quick bite to eat and get some coffee; the good kind, to stave off the boredom of a long flight - Can he sneak in some small talk with one of the others before that?

@Rhona W@AtomicNut@AvaP@Kensai@Smike

Noble Arms - The ASEAN War, Second Thread

Auxiliary Post made by @QJT (Fleshing Out NPC Responses)

Phnom Penh, Cambodia
American Embassy

"So?"

No staff members sat at this moment. They stood attentive at their posts. They hadn't the opportunity to sit down between clocking in and hearing the transpired events. The pressure was simply too great. Their superior paced erratically before the bulletproof windowpanes. When appointed, he expected a cushy gig, spending his tenure partying with the muckety mucks. He didn't expect the war. He certainly didn't foresee the conflict approaching his literal doorstep.

He inhaled once, then exhaled twice. The tension was focused on him; he'd redirect it elsewhere. "Call the President," he ordered.

In one continuous motion, an underling picked up a black business telephone and punched a single button. "This is the Cambodian Embassy. Relay us to- Well, obviously, haven't you seen the TV?" The lass leaned backward and sidestepped her foot. "We understand." Click. "He's coming, and will respond in fifteen."

"We don't have that much time!" he shouted, his unease sending shock waves across his subordinates. "Where the hell could he-"

His secretary reminded him of two analog clocks on the side wall, displaying in bold font "WASHINGTON DC" and "PHNOM PENH" respectively. They both showed identical positions; the left was 6:30 ante meridian and the right was 6:30 postmeridian. "President's away from the Oval Office, probably eating dinner or something."

"Fair enough," the dignitary deflated. "But if I don't hear a ring, I'm taking control of this situation from here. I have the prerogative." He sighed through puckered lips. "I won't be another Chris Stevens."

Manila, Philippines
Naval Station Jose Andrada
Admiralty

Throughout her career as his aide, Jasmine had never witnessed her boss cross his arms as he did presently. He stared at the screen, upright and rigid. His image was a stone, a monolith, but his eyes displayed a blend of anger and consternation that she'd dared not interrupt. But duties called, and lives were at stake. Few had the authority, fewer had the reaction times, and fewest had the willpower to act. "Admiral?"

Abasolo sighed. "Played us like a damn fiddle." He snapped to attention, his countenance glazing over and narrowing into cold calculation. "I need Villanueva, Mendoza, and Baltazar in this room, with their phones, immediately." He sat again at his desk, whipped out a ballpoint, and began to write.

Fortunately, the three officers worked in the same building. It took minutes and a handful of stark words to summon them hither. Abasolo pointed to Villanueva first. "Call the US President. Ask what assets they have locally. Let them know we have Task Force Obsidian in the area if they wish to pool resources to evacuate our parties." She ran the few feet necessary to establish a base.

Baltazar was next, fully prepared with a pencil and notepad. "Get the People's Republic of China," the admiral commanded. "Use the diplomatic channels. Give me their reaction to this, and their official statement."

And to the final minion, "You're the backup. I want you on the receiver, listening to the tone until I order you to punch in a number."

"Admiral." Villanueva had accomplished her task. "He's talking to the American embassy in Phnom Penh. We're twenty third in queue."

"How long would that take?" Jasmine asked.

"Hours. It'd be too late. Doesn't matter," Abasolo responded. "Stay on that line in case." He put a finger to his brow. "Mendoza, fetch me the Japanese."

After painstaking minutes, Mendoza relayed her result. "No dice. Something about the UN."

As if on cue, the television network switched to the visage of a pristine rectangular tower of blue glass. "Hold on, I'm receiving breaking news: the United Nations has convened an emergency special session to address this morning's hostile acts in Cambodia."

The admiral touched his forehead with his fingertip, closing his eyes and furrowing. He spoke his thought process largely to himself but broadly to his acquired staff. "The Americans put us on hold. The Philippines and the USA has a formal alliance, so everyone in front must be internal or allies. That means Japan, most likely, but they're preoccupied with their own internals. We need-" His vision jolted upward. "Jasmine, bring up a map of Phnom Penh, with embassies highlighted."

Jasmine's generation was immersed in tech; it took her mere seconds. "Prepared and ready, sir."

The Chinese actually, surprisingly, responded. Baltazar was left chattering away with his equivalent on the other side of the telephone, asking questions and writing the answers down.

Abasolo parsed through the dots on the screen. "We can't make it to the USA. They're across the city. Japan... it's eight minutes' walk. The Cambodians will be all over the place by then. Too risky." He clapped his hands. "Thailand. They're next door neighbors. Mendoza!" he announced. "Call the Royal Thais. Get an aide in their embassy to walk to the Japanese. Tell them to tell the Japanese to tell the Americans that Task Force Obsidian is in the delegation, and stands by to help them if possible."

"Sir!" Baltazar raised his hand. "The Chinese deny any involvement in the matter. Their delegation is also trapped behind hostile lines. Any action to pacify the Royal Cambodian Army is permitted."

"Because they don't think we're capable of anything anymore." Jasmine swallowed. "Do you think these really are just rogue elements?"

"Whatever I think, they've given us the green light. I plan to take advantage of it."

"But can Task Force Obsidian handle the entire Cambodian military?"

"What?" Abasolo took a moment to gather the data. "No, you misunderstand. They're not protecting the other nations; the other nations protect them. They'll be shielded by security and reinforced by the full American presence in the area. It's an advantage they might not survive without."

"And is it enough?"

Abasolo pursed his lips. "Then they wouldn't have a chance anyways. But I have faith in them. It's my Task Force Obsidian."

Phnom Penh, Cambodia
American Embassy

The American ambassador did sparingly little, merely direct his underlings to where they already headed and bark orders that they already heard while clutching the receiver. "President's orders! Everything goes in the furnace; no documents shall remain! Pack up your bags; we head out in fifteen!"

He returned to the conversation. "Yes, Mister President. We're proceeding without any hiccups. Now, where are the helicopters?" He stamped his foot, and his staff momentarily paused. "Then how the hell else are we supposed to evacuate?!... 'You're working on it.' Well, that changes everything, you sh- Yes, Mister President. I'm sorry for my tone. Please, we want assurances that... WHAT?!" He swayed motionless at the phone for a few seconds, then hung up, followed the cord to the outlet, and unplugged the cable. "He's on the phone with Japan." Perhaps his rashness had doomed them all.

Manila, Philippines
Naval Station Jose Andrada
Admiralty

Adrián Abasolo leaned back in his chair, staring at the television screen. His capabilities from Manila were exhausted to their fullest extent; he could only sit back and watch the chaos unfold. He heard the high energy newscasters drone on with meaningless updates. "In a surprise upset," the black box stated, "The UN Security Council and a majority of member states have denounced the Kingdom of Cambodia for the past hour's scandal."

His desk phone rang, and the admiral pounced on it. "Rear Admiral Adrián Abasolo."

"This is the President of the United States." It wasn't the president's voice (obviously; it was female), but upon a quick glance the country and area code checked out. Success. "You mentioned that Noble Arms Masters were nearby?"

"They're with our delegation, yes," the admiral confirmed, smiling between statements to hide his glee. "I'm certain you already have escape routes. We can help your security safely escort your delegates outside the city if you link the two parties together."

"What do you want in exchange?"

"We're allies. There's no catch."

The voice was almost too rapid for his understanding. "Understood. Our intel reports that the RCA has crossed the Norea Bridge. We're advising our own to head west into the city, where apparently we have friendly forces waiting to escort us. Follow close by; we'll inform them of your arrival and send an envoy to link up with Task Force Obsidian."

"Pleasure doing business with you, Mister President," Adrián quipped. "We'll let you reach your next appointment. Stay safe." Click. "It's a good day after all, Jasmine."

Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Diamond Isle Convention Center

The Philippine diplomats had split off from the rushing river that departed the convention center. The head delegate pointed to a open window in the center. "There they are!" They'd successfully located their protection and now rushed towards it, fractured as it might have been.

They weren't the only ones. Three men jogged up, splotches of green and brown covering their uniforms and helmets. The forerunner pointed to the very same window, and one man behind him threw the grappling hook end of a rope up to the balcony. Within seconds, the men traversed the heights and now stood amidst the Noble Arms Masters. The apparent leader extended a hand for a handshake. "Major Patrick Thomas, US Air Force Special Operations Command." It was equally clear that he could scale the building effortlessly and that the speed at which he scaled it had taken a slight toll. He breathed heavily through his words. "Air Commandos," he clarified. "We're here to assist you as needed, to link up with the United States protection as we get everyone out. What's the situation?"

Noble Arms - The ASEAN War, Second Thread

5'9|62kg

Name: Mykhailo Martinez

Age: 21

Nationality: Ukrainian - Filipino

Noble Arm Name & Appearance:

N/A

Noble Arm Rank:

N/A

Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: N/A

Noble Arm Abilities:

N/A

Misc Abilities: A skilled pilot who has gone through basic training as a soldier, and a cook, and has a degree in History.

Personality: Polite, kind, and generous, even to his bitterest enemies, Mykhailo has been shaken by the events of 2022, but tries to take the high road and not give himself over to hatred. Instead, he resents how his lack of a Noble Arm meant that he could not even be of help to his own country, Ukraine, especially as his piloting skills were not enough to make a difference in the war without experience. However, he knows that strengthening his personality and development would give him a Noble Arm that can solve the problems he has, thus allowing him to gain the power he needs to save both the Philippines and Ukraine and those whom he loves.

*Likes: Contentment (rarely found nowadays), Astronomy, Flying.

*Dislikes: Russia, China, and his negative feelings.

Fears: Falling into the hands of the enemy.

Bio: Mykhailo's Father was one of the Philippines' richest media executives, his mother was a Ukrainian volunteer worker who helped run a homeless shelter. They married; he was happy, not wondering about his mother's roots - He loved the Philippines, and Ukraine to him was a distant name. Then, as he grew up, he realized he liked both boys and girls and it wounded his heart that he was something so shameful, so aberrant, so different, and he would be targeted by hatred if people found out. It became worse when he moved back to Ukraine for a few years to attend a moderately prestigious flight school where he could train as a pilot.

His wingman was also his first love; a Ukrainian boy named Artem who had an interest in astronomy, and even got Mykhailo interested in the subject. The stars, the moon, and the sky, were interesting, and so was Artem; he was such a kind and generous person and Mykhailo wanted to be with him forever.

When he turned 20; he went back to the Philippines to visit his father, just in time for China and Russia to hold 'parallel special military operations' in both Southeast Asia and Ukraine - Artem died in the first volleys of the Russian invasion; to this day, Mykhailo believes that the latter was targeted for being gay.

The young man tried to muster the anger and hate required for revenge, but could not do so; he was too kind for that, even to people who hated him for what he was. Instead, all he could feel was utter sadness... And Artem's smile, that smile when they spent time together under the stars. So he did something immensely difficult, something he found hard to justify even to himself - He let go of his desire to hate and instead chose to try and stop the Russians and Chinese so that more people do not have to be hurt.

He felt a seed of something stir within him; the very beginnings of something that if treasured and nurtured, could grant him what he needed most - The power to save his people.

And so Mykhailo joined the Philippine Air Force, hoping to strengthen himself and potentially gain a Noble Arm. Then he'd make sure that more people like Artem do not have to die.

*Current Goal: Save ASEAN, then Ukraine.

Military or Civilian Rank: Airman

*Optional

For when Mykhailo gains a Noble Arm

Noble Arm Name & Appearance:

La Astronomica - The Longsword on his picture above.

Noble Arm Rank:

A

Power: A
Speed: C
Range: A
Persistence: C
Precision: C (S)
Potential: E

Noble Arm Type, Element, and Range: Melee/Sky/Long-Range

Noble Arm Abilities:

An Artificial Sky - When Mykhailo conjures up his Noble Arm, the sky above or around him is covered over with a starry nightscape or sunny sky, regardless of the actual time of day or night, light pollution from city lights, or artificial darkness from smog or storms. This zone slowly expands to cover an area the size of an entire city (New York's Metropolitan Area, to be exact), and Mykhailo can then choose to show specific images of constellations, stellar or planetary alignments, or solar equinoxes or even show the moon and sun at the same time. This does not change the existing weather, which continues as normal despite the changes to the sky.

It does, however, affect Noble Arms with an Astronomical Theme (Sun, Moon, Stars, Space, Eclipses, and Comets), boosting or debuffing them by one rank, as well as duplicating specific conditions for specific Arms' activation (like for example, the Sun and Moon needing to be up at the same time).

Astrological Omens - Under the projection of the sky that comes from his Noble Arm, luck and probability are affected in some small way, making his allies more fortunate while cursing his enemies with increased accidents and unfortunate events. This can, assuming competent allies, shift the tide of the battlefield to favor the side that should normally lose.

Heavenfall - Mykhailo, with a single command, can cause meteors to rain down from his artificial sky onto a foe; said meteors are, well, meteors and cause damage on par with high explosive artillery rounds. However, the damage they cause is purely physical, and thus attacks that render the user intangible or put them in another dimension or otherwise circumvent physical damage can work to make them immune or resistant to this power.